And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.

But he put at the head of them Abia the son of Maacha to be the chief ruler over all his brethren: for he meant to make him king,

And Rehoboam established Abijah the son of Maachah at the head, to be ruler among his brethren; for he thought to make him king.

And Rehoboam appointeth for head Abijah son of Maachah, for leader among his brethren, for to cause him to reign.

Rehoboam made Abijah, the son of Maacah, chief and ruler among his brothers, for it was his purpose to make him king.

Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the prince among his brothers; for he intended to make him king.

Truly, he appointed as the head, Abijah, the son of Maacah, to be the ruler over all his brothers. For he thought to make him king,

Jeush was probably the oldest of Rehoboam's sons, and should naturally and according to the provisions of the Law Deuteronomy 21:15-17 have been his heir. But Rehoboam's affection for Maachah led him to transgress the Law.

Made Abijah - the chief - Abijah certainly was not the first-born of Rehoboam; but as he loved Maachah more than any of his wives, so he preferred her son, probably through his mother's influence. In Deuteronomy 21:16, this sort of preference is forbidden; but Rehoboam had a sort of precedent in the preference shown by David to Solomon.

And Rehoboam made (g) Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, [to be] ruler among his brethren: for [he thought] to make him king.
(g) Called also Abijam, who reigned three years, (1-Kings 15:2).

And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maacah the chief,.... The chief of all his sons, head over them, being the son of his most beloved wife, and her firstborn however, and perhaps might be of a greater capacity than the rest of his children:
to be ruler among his brethren; or over them; gave him greater authority, and intrusted him with more power, set him above them, and treated him as heir apparent to the crown: for he thought
to make him king; either to take him into partnership in the throne with him in his lifetime, or to appoint and declare him to be his successor.

made Abijah . . . chief . . . ruler among his brethren--This preference seems to have been given to Abijah solely from the king's doting fondness for his mother and through her influence over him. It is plainly implied that Abijah was not the oldest of the family. In destining a younger son for the kingdom, without a divine warrant, as in Solomon's case, Rehoboam acted in violation of the law (Deuteronomy 21:15).

Ruler - He declared him his successor, and gave him the dominion over, his brethren.